Combined water softener and storage tank



. C. LADD ET AL COMBINED WATER SOFIENER AND STORAGE TANK Filed Aug. '7, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,053

C. LADD ET All.

COMBINED WATER SCFTENER AND STORAGE TANK Filed Aug. 7, 1920 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1923."

units!) s'rA'rss PATENT orncs.

CLINTON LADD, OFCHICAGO, AND THOMAS G. WINDES, .13.. OF WINNETKA, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS TO CHICAGO BRIDGE & IRON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF HILINOIS- COMBINED WATER sor'r mmn AND STORAGE "BANK.

Application filed August 7, 1920. Serial No. 401,929.

To all whom it may concern: I 7

Be it known that we, CLINTON LAonJand THOMAS G. Vnznss, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago and Wmnetka, respectively, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new I and useful Improvement in Combined \Vater Softeners and Storage Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined water softener and storage tank.

Oneof the objects of the invention is to provide a single device adapted f'or softening water and also for storing a quantity of the softened water.

Since the softening process requires some time, it has been found desirable,.in most cases, where the demand is not constant, but at times more rapid than the supply, to use a storage basin in connection with the softening mechanism, so that the soften ng process can be carried on continuously, and the softened water stored in such storage basin where it will be available for intermittent demand. Heretofore, in most cases, such storage basins have not been formed integrally with the softening device, but separate tanks or basins have been provided. Where an attempt was made to combine the two, dilficulties were encountered owing to the fact that the sediment or sludge produced as a result. of the softening process found its way into the stored water rendering it unfit for use; or else, because of the stored water, the softeningmechanlsm would not properly work. 3

In our improved device we have combined the softening mechanism with a storage tank in such a way that the softening process can be carried out successfully, without cont-amination of the stored softened water from the sediment or sludge.

. Other features of our invention are the means for removing the sludge and sediment formed by the softening process, the means for utilizing all of the space of the tank;

and the provision of a tank that; can be easilyand simply built, the interior Qof which can be economically used for the softening process and the storage-of water without waste of space. j,

The foregoing features of our invention and others will appear more fully as we proceed with our specification. that form of plete device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As shown in said drawings, 1 indicates the body of a tank which is cylindrical in form and preferably constructed of sheet metal in the form of large rectangular plates, cylindrically curved and riveted at their meeting margins in the manner heretofore employed in constructing similar tanks. The bottom portion 2 which is more particularly described hereinafter, is similarly formed of curved plates. Supporting legs. or. columns 5 have their upper ends riveted to the sides of the tank. The lower ends of the supporting legs rest upon stone .or cement blocks-13. A large central settling basin 15, cylindrical in form, extends from the central portion of the bottom 2 to a suitable base or support 16 which may be formed of cement or concrete. Said settling basin is also constructed of curved plates being circular in cross-section The enlarged diameter of the settling basin 15 places a large proportion of the weight of the tank and its contents upon the base or support 16, removing it from the supports5 whereby the latter can be made considerably smaller than would otherwisebe practicable.

The upper portion of the bottom part 2 is substantially ellipsoidal in shape, but the curve of such ellipsoid, instead of continuing thence downward and meeting the settling basin in the center thereof, is. continued ,in a direction more steeply inclined to the horizontal, being as here shown, modified into the form of a cone; whereby the portions of said bottom adjacent to the central opening are comparatively steep and will not allow slud e or sediment to accumulate upon them.

ithin the tank there are provided three horizontal channel irons or beams 70 with their ends resting on the sides of the bottom 2 as shown. Supported on the beams 70 is a smaller cylindrical tank 71 open at the top and the bottom, within which is contained a rotatable agitator 72 of any ordinary form such as is commonly used in water softening devices. Any 'desirable means are provided for operating the agitator 72. As here shown such means comprise an overshot water-wheel 73 adapted to be ing the desired or necessary chemicals into.

the stream of inflow-ling water in -order to soften the same. here shown, such bhemicals are introduced from the chemical tank 79 through the pipe 80. The inflowing water, after it leaves the waterwheel 73, enters the cylinder 71 through the opening 85. The chemical from the outlet of the pipe 80 at 86 mixes with the inflowing water from the' opening as it goes into the cylinder 71. Thesoftening process takes place inthe cylinder 71, where the agitator causes a thorough mixing of the chemical and water. The particular means 'of mixing the'ghemical with the water, and

- the features of, the softening process itself i form no part of the presentinvention since suchmeans are old in the art and may be performed in a variety of ways-w -The sediment or sludge reduced by the 1 age tank, a tank proper with a steeply in .clined bottom and an outlet substantially lower than its top to-provide a storage reserlvoir above said outlet a smaller tank with an open bottom located within the tank :proper and having its open bottom above the major portion, of the steeply inclined softening of the water wit in the cylinder 71 falls out of the bottom of the cylinder Hand settles intothesettlin' basin 15 and thenceinto the pit 90 througg' the valve 91, from which it escapes into the sewer 92.

.1 hesteepness ofthe bottom 2 prevents any of the sludge or sediment -from settling thereon.

' The softened water rises within the tank 1 outside. of the cylinder 71 above the top a of the'outlet pipe 93 which is placed substantiallyhalf: way up the height of the cylinder 71. An. overflow 95 is near the top of the tank.

In operation of the-device, the softening I provided process is "carried on at such rate that the water will stand above the top of the outlet pipe '93 and below the overflow 95,

en the .demand'is not great the water will rise so thata quantity will be storedabove the top of the pipe 953 in order to be ready to supply/ a faster demand when it occurs.

I Since the bottom of the cylinder from which the sludge or sediment esca s is considerably below the top of the outlet pipe. 93, no sediment or sludge will rise in the tank above such.outlet. The water above thetop of the outlet pipe 93 will be, found always to'be pure.

te -ea u Whethe claim as neii and desire to se cure by: LetterslPatentis':

1. line combined water-softener and storage tank, a tank with a steeply inclined bottom and an outlet-substantially lower than"- its topto provide a storage reservoir above said outlet, an open bottom water-softening mechanism located in the tank, the bottom of said water-softening mechanism being substantially lower than the outlet of the tank and above the major portion of the steeply inclined bottom, and the top of said watersoftening mechanism being substaiitially. level with the top of said tank.

2. In a combined water-softener and storage tank, a tank proper "with a steeply inclined bottom and an outlet substantially lower than'its top to provide a storage reservoir above said outlet, a smaller tank with an open bottom located within the tank proper, the bottom of the smaller tank being above the major portion of the steeply inclined bottom of the tank proper and substantially lower than the outlet ofthe tank proper. j Y 3. In a combined water-softener and storage tank, a tank proper with a steeply inclined bottom and an outlet substantially lower than its top to provide a storage reservoir above said outlet, a smaller tank with mechanism located bottom of the tank proper and substantially lower than the outlet of said tank proper, .and a water-softening an open bottom located within the tank 7 proper, the top. of the smaller tank being substantially level with the top of thetank Y proper, and the bottom of the smaller tank lgeing above the major portion of the steeply inclined bottom of the tank proper and substantially lower than the outlet of the tank proper in testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 24th day of June,"1920. CLINTQN LAlDlD.. [its] THOMAS G. WINDES, JR. [L s.] 

